This invention relates to combustors for gas turbine engines and in particular to an improved bulkhead panel for use in the combustors.
Gas turbine engines, such as those used to power modern commercial aircraft, include a compressor for pressurizing a supply of air, a combustor for burning a hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of the pressurized air, and a turbine for extracting energy from the resultant combustion gases. The combustor typically comprises radially spaced apart inner and outer liners or support shells. The liners or support shells define an annular combustion chamber that resides axially between the compressor and the turbine. Arrays of circumferentially distributed combustion air holes penetrate each liner or support shell at multiple axial locations to admit combustion air into the combustion chamber. A plurality of circumferentially distributed fuel injectors project into the forward end of the combustion chamber to supply the fuel.
At one end of the combustor is a bulkhead panel which is subjected to relatively high temperatures. As a result, it is necessary to provide the bulkhead panel with effective cooling.